Homemade Crumpets

We had a leisurely brunch yesterday because all of us were at home.  The Tour de France was in Cambridge so work and school were closed for the day.  When I usually make crumpets it's a fairly free form affair, I just dollop the mixture into the pan and my crumpets are not perfectly round but still delicious.  I was sent some Crumpet Rings to try out by Viners and I must say the OCD in me likes the perfectly round crumpets I made.

Homemade crumpets taste so much more flavoursome than store bought ones.  My husband and daughters smothered them with butter and tried out honey and golden syrup but the favourite topping by far was my homemade blackcurrant jam.  Whether you have crumpet rings or not, try out the recipe, you'll be reluctant to go back to shop bought ones if you do.

Homemade Crumpets

250g strong bread flour, I used 100g brown bread flour and 150g strong white flour
7g sachet yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100ml water, lukewarm
275ml milk, lukewarm

Mix all the ingredients together until a smooth batter forms.  Leave to sit for an hour covered with a damp tea towel.  After an hour the mixture should be bubbling and have risen.

Put a frying pan over a moderate heat and add a little butter.  Grease the insides of the crumpet rings.  Put the crumpet rings in to the frying pan and dollop 2 - 3 tablespoonfuls of the mixture into each crumpet ring.  Each crumpet ring should be about half full.

Cook on a medium to low heat for 7 - 10 minutes until the surface has bubbled and dried out and the crumpet has shrunk back from the sides of the crumpet ring.

Carefully remove the crumpet rings from the pan, they will be very hot, I used tongs.  Flip the crumpets over for a minute to brown the tops.  Serve immediately or save for later, you can pop them in the toaster to heat them up.

11 comments Basics, Bread, Breakfast, Snacks, Vegetarian